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HomeBusiness strategies

Business strategies

Gallery

The Studebaker Hawk reached its high point in 1957 — and fell rather quickly

July 30, 2026 Steve 20

(EXPANDED FROM 6/12/2024) The Studebaker Hawk arguably reached its peak in 1957. This was when it sold the best — almost 20,000 units. This was also Peak Hawk from a styling standpoint. For one shining […]

2026 Slate Trucks
Current Events

Automotive News’ Laurence Iliff puts away pom-poms for the Slate Truck

July 28, 2026 Steve 15

Automotive News’ coverage of product launches tends to display lots of pom-pom waving, so it was curious that a recent story about the Slate Truck was fairly negative. I think it is entirely reasonable to […]

History

When should U.S. automakers have begun producing a domestic subcompact?

July 24, 2026 Steve 46

(UPDATED FROM 8/1/2024) In 1959 imported cars captured 10 percent of the U.S. market. However, their popularity quickly subsided after the Big Three came out with an unprecedented wave of compacts beginning in 1960. The […]

Ward Packard
Readings

James Ward offers more nuanced take on Packard’s fall than other auto histories

July 23, 2026 Steve 36

(EXPANDED FROM 2/26/2024) James A. Ward’s Packard book, The Fall of the Packard Motor Car Company, is dwarfed by Automobile Quarterly’s epic tome edited by Beverly Rae Kimes (2002) as well as Stuart R. Blond’s […]

1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
Links

Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant

July 17, 2026 Steve 9

(UPDATED FROM 11/24, 2023) A March 1964 Car Life article offers a fascinating take on why Studebaker shifted production from its South Bend main plant to a much smaller one in Hamilton, Ontario — which […]

1956 Lincoln
Design Notes

The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder

July 17, 2026 Steve 19

(UPDATED FROM 1/6/2023) The 1956 Lincoln was one of the brand’s most-important postwar cars. Almost 54,000 cars left the factory — an all-time record not broken until 1966. The Ford Motor Company was clearly intending […]

1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
Gallery

1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor

July 14, 2026 Steve 10

(UPDATED FROM 7/17/2024) A few years ago I came across a 1975 Mercedes-Benz SL. In all honesty, I wasn’t nearly as enthused as when I photographed a previous-generation W113 model, with its iconic “pagoda” roof. […]

1988 Oldsmobile Toronado
History

Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?

July 10, 2026 Steve 16

(UPDATED FROM 7/1/2024) General Motors has been criticized for going too far in downsizing its 1986 E-body personal coupes, which included the Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado. Sales fell off a cliff, but […]

2026 Toyota Highlander
Design Notes

Yes, but WHY do today’s automobiles look so similar?

July 2, 2026 Steve 10

(UPDATED FROM 7/26/2021) A few years ago Peter DeLorenzo (2021) argued that the auto industry had “reached the nadir of design. And it isn’t pretty.” The big reason why: Cars look so blandly similar that […]

History

Why was Wayne Kady’s favorite design the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado?

June 30, 2026 Steve 8

(UPDATED FROM 4/24/2024) In an interview back in 2024 Wayne Kady was hesitant to name his favorite car design among those he had worked on during a 38-year stint at General Motors, saying that was […]

Posts pagination

« 1 2 3 4 … 49 »
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 20
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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